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At one time Ella Tofaeono seriously thought about quitting basketball.

The 6-foot-3 sophomore post from Sydney, Australia, for the Midland College women’s basketball team had gone through two surgeries on her right knee and she didn’t think she was cut out for the process of going through rehabilitation and playing at the college level. She thought she would just be college student and find a job.

But then she met the MC coaching staff of Ron Jones and Ginger Gatliff and whatever they said to her made her change her mind.

Now she goes into this season with a determination she’s never had before and is considered one of the top women’s basketball players out of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference with a bevy of top Division I programs courting her for next year.

“I know I have the ability to move on from here and clear a path for myself and my life,” said Tofaeono of her current outlook on life.

Because of her last knee surgery in January of 2017, Tofaeono took a little while to be comfortable about playing on that knee last season. But as the season wore on during her freshman year at MC, she began to become a more consistent player. By the end of the year, she was a force to be reckoned with and finished the season averaging 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game to earn First Team All-WJCAC and WJCAC Freshman of the Year honors.

Tofaeono credited confidence and feeling more comfortable as part of the reasons for her late season surge.

“My coaches have confidence in me and told me I could put up shots and I could do this and I could do that. They said, ‘We believe in you and you should believe in yourself,’” she said. “Just Coach Jones being there and Coach G always in my ear. I’ve had a lot of coaches in my career in Australia but here it’s very genuine. Part of the reason I was able to play so well for them because they accepted me for who I was on the court. Off the court I’m a completely different person. I’m goofy.”

Jones, who’s in his 25th season as head coach of the Lady Chaps, said now that Tofaeono got her legs back under her, he expects big things from her this season.

“We think she’s going to be a really good player in our league and I think we will depend on her a lot inside,” he said. “I think you grow up a lot between your freshman and sophomore year and international players seem to really come on in their second year because they usually spend a year trying to figure out how the game is played over here. She’s just a great kid. She’s the type of kid you would like to coach every year. She’s got a great personality, she works hard and she’s fun to be around.”

Tofaeono agreed that last year was a learning experience.

“I learned how to be selfless but also learned how to compete at this level,” she said. “I think last year prepared me for this year. I’m more excited for this year. It’s different being a sophomore. My freshman year, looking back, I was really excited with what I was able to achieve. Without my coaches, I don’t think I’d be where I am today. I’m not scared about my knee and I think I’m more determined this year and have more desire.”

She’s also excited about the potential of this year’s team, which has five returning players from last year’s 18-11 team to go with a pair of solid transfers and some talented freshmen.

“The difference from last year to this year is that we have shooters and we have people wanting to score,” Tofaeono said. “That’s going to be really exciting. People would collapse on the inside and there would be people open on the outside but we didn’t have confident shooters. I think it’ll open the inside and create more options for everyone.”

The public relations major with the outgoing personality said outside of basketball she loves to hang out not only with her teammates but with people of the community. She said Midland’s hospitality is something she’s really enjoyed and is looking for her next college to have many of the same qualities.

She said she will wait to make her college decision until after the season is over. Before then, she hopes to lead MC to a deeper run in the postseason.

“I just want to be a good teammate on and off the court and keep setting an example and inspiring the freshmen to keep our program going strong,” Tofaeono said.

Coach’s quote: “We’re not as big but I think we’re going to be able to shoot it better. I don’t mind that tradeoff. It just seemed like last year, we became a really good defensive team but we couldn’t hit enough shots. We were playing some of top teams in the country and we would hold them down really well and we couldn’t score. It all goes hand in hand, you’ve got to put it in the hole.”

Notes: With seven sophomores on the roster, Jones believes his team may come together quicker than may some of his past teams. Five of the sophomores return from last year and two are transfers. Marov transferred from Eastern Illinois and Kampp transferred from Jacksonville College.

2018 -19 Midland College Women’s Basketball Roster

No. Name Ht. Cl. Pos. Hometown

0 Ella Tofaeono 6-3 So. P Sydney, Australia

1 Bethany Theodore 5-4 So. G Sunbury, Australia

2 Annilia Dawn 5-5 Fr. G Amarillo

4 Lana Marov 5-11 So. F Sydney, Australia

5 Grace Beasley 5-7 Fr. G Melbourne, Australia

10 Oriana Manhertz 5-8 Fr. Miramar, Fla.

11 Edreana Jackson 5-5 Fr. G Miami, Fla.

21 Abbi Hatton 5-10 So. G Bridgeport

22 Johanna Kampp 5-10 So. G Copenhagen, Denmark

23 Ogechi Nwodo 6-2 So. P Spring

24 Kiera Bush 6-1 Fr. F Seattle, Wash.

33 Erica James 5-10 Fr. G Elk Grove, Calif.

41 Wiebke Schwartau 6-5 So. P Eutin, Germany

Head Coach: Ron Jones

Assistant coach: Ginger Gatliff

2018-19 Midland College Women’s Basketball Schedule

Date Opponent Time

Nov. 1 a-Mess CC 1 p.m.

Nov. 2 a-Tohono O’odham 2 p.m.

Nov. 3 a-Colorado Northwestern noon

Nov. 8 at Scottsdale CC 8 p.m.

Nov. 9 b-Mesa CC 8 p.m.

Nov. 10 b-Cochise College 1 p.m.

Nov 15 c-Arizona Western 7 p.m.

Nov. 16 c-TBA 7 p.m.

Nov. 17 c-TBA TBA

Nov. 20 Jacksonville College 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 28 *at South Plains College 5:45 p.m.

Dec. 1 *Clarendon College 2 p.m.

Dec. 6 d-Snow College 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 d-Casper College 7 p.m.

Dec. 8 d-Colorado Northwestern 3 p.m.

Jan. 4 at Connors State College 5:30 p.m

Jan. 7 *at Frank Phillips College 5:45 p.m.

Jan. 10 *Odessa College 5:45 p.m.

Jan. 21 *Western Texas College 5:45 p.m.

Jan. 24 *at Howard College 5:45 p.m.

Jan. 28 *at New Mexico JC 6:45 p.m.

Jab. 31 *South Plains College 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 4 *at Clarendon College 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 7 *Frank Phillips College 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 11 *at Odessa College 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 21 *at Western Texas College 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 25 *Howard College 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 28 *New Mexico JC 5:45 p.m.

March 6-9 Region V Tournament (Abilene) TBA

a-Odessa College Classic

b-Mesa Classic, Mesa, Ariz.

c-Midland College WNIT

d-Air Force Prep Tournament, Colorado Springs, Colo.

*Denotes WJCAC opponent

WJCAC Preseason Women’s Basketball Poll

(As voted by the WJCAC coaches. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams)